The Four Faces of Love
When you think of love, what comes to mind? How do you practice open-heartedness in your life? What does it bring you?
In this episode we explore the heart practices of Mindfulness—what I call the four faces of love: Lovingkindness (Metta in the ancient language of Pali); Compassion (Karuna in Pali); Appreciative Joy (Mudita in Pali) and Equanimity (Ipekkha in Pali). These aspects of universal love point to our built-in and shared spiritual nature from which spring feelings of our interconnectedness. These practices light our path and lead us to acting with friendliness, kindness, and balance rather than acting from ugliness, hate, or indifference to ourselves and all others.
It might feel daunting to open your heart to those with whom you have conflict and that’s why starting with the formal practices associated with these four aspects of universal love are so powerful. Formal practice gives us a foundation that we can build on in our daily lives. In later shows we’ll explore each one of the formal practices.
I started my Mindfulness practice by opening my heart with compassion. In my first year of practice, every day, I practiced the compassion meditation I had learned in a class called the Science of Compassion. It fundamentally changed how I experience both my interior as well as my exterior life. It taught me something more, too. I learned that we each need to start where we are. Most people begin by practicing the Mindfulness of Breath meditation, but in my case, I started practicing the Compassion meditation and then moved to Mindfulness of Breath and other forms of formal practice.
I hope you enjoy the show. Tell your friends and listen, subscribe, and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
And, if you’d like to learn Mindfulness meditation or take a live online meditation class, check out the classes on my website. And while you are there sign up for the newsletter using the link in the footer.
As always I am grateful for you, my listeners, and I am grateful for the people behind the scenes that make this podcast possible. Allie Allen in San Francisco, for logo and podcast cover design; Gorgias Romero in Santiago Chile for original music, audio engineering, and production; Bill Rafferty in Sydney Australia for technical web support and Margaret Haas in Los Angeles California for announcing the show.
Have a loving week.
Be well. be mindful.
Credits and Resources:
King, Jr., Martin Luther, Strength to Love, 1963.
Research and Education Institute, Stanford University, https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/strength-love, accessed March 12, 2022
Miller, PhD, Lisa, The Awakened Brain: the New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life, Random House, 2021, p. 41 (Kindle Edition)
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical or health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance and advice of your health professional.
